A major bridge beam lifting project is due to get underway over the M1 near Dunstable, Highways England has announced.

Contractors will lift 38 steel beams into place as part of a £162 million road project to boost the economy in Bedfordshire.

A 1,000-tonne crane will be used to lift the beams, which will act as foundations for the decks of two new bridges over the M1.

Once the installation is complete, work can begin to develop decks for the new junction 11A interchange bridge and the new B579 Luton Road bridge.

The £162m scheme includes building a new dualled road, three new junctions, including a new motorway junction, and six new bridges.

Up to 40 hectares of land will be unlocked due to the project, with infrastructure produced for 7,000 new homes to be built to the north of Houghton Regis.

Construction milestones achieved so far on the A5-M1 link include starting work on the layout for the new M1 junction 11A, with new roundabouts and bridges, as well as the rebuilding of the B579 Luton Road East and West to align it with junction 11A.

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Work on the link road itself has also progressed, with drainage, fencing and some of the foundations and surfacing completed. Work on the new A5 roundabout has also started.

Highways England senior project manager Anthony Johnson said: "These bridge beam lifts are an important milestone for the A5-M1 Link Road project, which will offer motorists better and safer journeys and help reduce congestion through Dunstable as well as unlock land for new homes and businesses.

"We will be using a large crane to lift the beams into place and it is essential we close the M1, one direction at a time and overnight only, to minimise disruption and ensure maximum safety for road workers and road users."

The beam lifts will be carried out in several stages between 10pm and 6am on the following dates:

• 16, 17 and 18 March – M1 northbound closed for beam lift for the Luton Road bridge

• 21, 22 and 23 March – M1 southbound closed for beam lift for Luton Road bridge

• 30, 31 March and 01 April – M1 southbound closed for beam lift for the junction 11A bridge

• 02, 04, 05, 06, 07 and 08 April – M1 northbound closed for beam lift and to start building the bridge deck for the junction 11A bridge.

• 09 April – M1 southbound closed to start building the bridge deck for the junction 11A bridge.

Highways England has also released an A5-M1 link – simulation video which can be viewed below.